Team Herald
PANJIM: The villagers of Assagao are alarmed after analyses of water samples collected from one of its wards ruled contamination.
Villagers of Sonar Khed ward of Assagao, after struggling to get proper water supply are now demanding hygienic portable water.
Activist Aishwarya Salgaonkar and a group of Sonar Khed villagers had filed a plea before the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) alleging the ward is facing water issues for a decade and half.
In last three years, the applicant stated that the villagers are badly affected due to irregular and insufficient water supply. The PWD however informed the GHRC that the issue is resolved as a new borewell is commissioned in February 2021.
In the midst of the hearing, the activist realised that villagers are being provided water which is not fit for drinking purpose. The application states that drinking water supplied through a new borewell constructed by the PWD has led to health problems.
“…The PWD supplied water from the new bore well to the villagers of Sonar Khed area. It has been seen that after some days of consuming water from the new borewell the villagers of Sonar Khed started suffering from various illnesses and required medical treatment,” reads the application.
The villagers insisted that analysis of water samples collected by the concerned authority confirmed the water was not fit for drinking.
“The sample water analysed does not confirm the limits prescribed for drinking water. The water therefore cannot be recommended for human consumption,” the application stated quoting the report.
The applicants further accused the PWD of executing haphazard work by supplying water from the borewell without carrying out its purification. “It is the duty of the PWD to see that the water supplied to the public is of good quality and it can be used for consumption. Before supplying the water to the general public the PWD should test the water and see that it is useful for consumption of human beings. There is negligence on part of the PWD because of which many villagers have suffered from various illnesses,” it said.
The PWD, in its reply to the GHRC, stated that the work of installation of the water purifier plant, at an estimated cost of Rs 14.58 lakh and awarded to a contractor was delayed.
“This plant is very much necessary to give portable water to the consumers. Raw water from the borewell cannot be supplied directly. The work was delayed due to genuine reasons, water was supplied to the people by water tankers till completion of the work,” reply submitted by the Executive Engineer (Division XVII-PHE-N) Porvorim stated.
The department, he said, proposed a new water reservoir at DMC College but the tender received no response. He claimed that water supply to Assagao will improve once the work completes, as a re-tender of the work is expected to be released shortly.